Beer of the Week! 01/25/22
Brouwerij de Halve Maan Straffe Hendrik Bruges Tripel Ale
Regularly $18.99 / Now on Sale for $17.96
Abbey Tripel
Brouwerij De Halve Maan (Half Moon Brewery) has been brewing in the picturesque northwestern Belgian coastal city of Bruges for more than 500 years. (!!!) Now, let us give you an example of how seriously their home city takes their beer — Bruges recognizes their own patron saint of brewing, Saint Arnold. And that’s where this amazing Tripel’s story begins …
Back in 1981, the city of Bruges approached Halve Maan brewers Henri Maes IV and Véronique Maes (father and daughter) about brewing a one off “straf bier” (strong beer) to commemorate the inauguration of a statue to Saint Arnold. In response, the Maeses brewed this beer. The Tripel was so well received, they named it “Straffe Hendrik” (“Strong Henry”) after the line of brewing Henries in the Maes family.
Multiple specialty malts makes the Straffe Hendrik Tripel a fountain of yeasty/malty joy. It is so maltified that the Maeses leaned into the hops. Now, we’re talking European Noble hops, so don’t think bitterness as much as a burst of herbal spice that mixes with the high, tight carbonation to turn what would be a malt bomb into something crisp. Dry and flavorful, the Straffe Hendrik is a Tripel lover’s Tripel. (And if you’re not a Tripel lover, it might just turn you into one.)
Bonus Beer of the Week (‘Cause winter weather calls for more “fireplace beers.”)
Evil Twin Retro Series: Monk Suffers a Sugar Rush on Barbados
Regularly $22.99 / Now on Sale for $20.96
Belgian Style Strong Dark Ale Infused with Barbadian Sugar
We’ll be honest. We’re not 100% sure what the Evil Twin “Retro Series” is. We imagine it’s them re-brewing a beer they’ve brewed before, which is probably a special event for Evil Twin, since they brew so many unique beers once and then move on, but everyone else just calls that, you know … brewing. Whatever. It’s the beer that’s important.
The Monk Suffers a Sugar Rush on Barbados is a Belgian Style Strong Brown Ale. What sets it apart is that instead of using Candi Sugar, Evil Twin infuses this beer with Muscovado Sugar from Barbados — unrefined sugar that contains molasses. We don’t get a strong Belgian taste from this beer. (It’s not full of those signature esters.) What we do get is a really trippy brown ale that tastes like the love child between caramel and licorice. And because of the Retro Series, we suppose that those who’ve gotten this beer before get to get it again. :)
Remember!
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